Locomotive



July 28, 1925.

A. W. BRUCE LOCOMOT IVE Filed March 28, 1924 y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @mu Y ml m .El

July 28,1925.

A. W. BRUCE LOCOMOTIYE Filed March 28 1924- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patentedjuly 28, i925.

narran stares ALFRED W. BRUCE, 0F NE'W YORK, N. Y.

LOCOMOTIVE.

Application filed March 28, 1924.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, ALFRED W. BRUCE, a citizenof the United States, and a resident or New York, in the county andState of New York, have invented a certain new and useful improvement inLocomotives, of which improvement the following is a speci` licaticn.

My invention relates, generally, to locomotives of the three cylindertype, and, particularly to the means for actuating the distributionvalve of the middle cylinder, in a locomotive of such type. The objectof my invention is to provide means for the actuation of said valve,which will enable all of the recognized advantages of TWals` chaertsvalve gear of the ordinary type, to be fully attained, in a constructionwhich will avoid interference with the crank axle; locate all elementsof the driving mechanism in the same central plane; be applicable in anyof the various wheel arrangements of present standard practice; andensure a positive and similar distribution of steam in all of the threecylinders of the locomotive.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

ln the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a side view, in elevation, ofa portion of a three cylinder locomotive, illustrating an application ofmy invention; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section on the line II-Hof Fig. 8; and, Fig. 3, a plan view of the frame and valve gears.

In the practice of my invention, referring descriptively to the speciicembodiment thereof which is herein exemplified, as applied in a threecylinder locomotive, having a middle cylinder, l, and two sidecylinders, la and lb, the valve stems, 2a and 2b, of the distributionvalves of the side cylinders, ld and lb, (which valves are ynotillustrated as they are of the ordinary type, and are not, in and ofthemselves, claimed as of my invention), are actuated by Walschaertsvalve gears of standard construction, each comprising a return crank, 3,fix-ed in one of the driving wheels of the main axle, 8, eccentric rod,4f, pivoted swinging link, 5, radius bar, 6, and lap and lead lever, 7.

The valve stem, 2, of the distribution valve of the middle cylinder, isactuated by a lValschaer-ts valve gear of modified form, which comprisesa return crank, 3, fixed on Serial No. 702,558.

mitted from the return crank, link, 5, 'through the intermediation of arock shaft, 9, which is journalled on theV frame, l0, of the locomotive,and carries a downwardly projecting arm, 9a, on its outer end, and anarm 9b, projecting, in opposite direction, from its inner end. llChearm, 9b, is coupled to the link, 5a, by a supplemental eccentric rod,4:, which is connected to the top of the link, 5a, thereby entirelyclearing the crank arms, 8C, of the crank axle, 8, and where, as in theinstance illustrated, the valve gear of the middle cylinder is disposedin the longitudinal central plane thereof, the lap and lead lever, 7a,is bifurcated, or formed with two parallel members, 7b, at and extendingupwardly from its lower end, thereby permitting its symmetricalattachment to opposite sides of the cross head, ll, of the middlecylinder.

The valve gears of all the three cylinders are controlled by a singlereversing mechanism, comprising a reach rod, l2, which may be actuatedeither by a manually operated reverse lever, or by a reversing motor ofany suitable and preferred known construction, which does not, in and ofitself, form part of my present invention, and is not, therefore, hereinillustrated. The reach rod, l2, is coupled to an upwardly extending arm,13a, on a reverse shaft, 13, which is journalled in bearings on theframe, l0, and carries arms, 13b, which are coupled to the radius barsof the valve gears of the three cylinders.

It will be seen that the valve actuating mechanism above described is ofan extremely simple type, and is capable of application symmetrically tothe distribution valve stems of the three cylinders, under the controlof a single reversing mechanism, and without interference with the crankarms and connections of the middle cylinder. The positive and similardistribution of steam in all the cylinders is likewise ensured.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. ln a locomotive, the combination `of a distribution valve stem; areturn crank, fixed on a driving wheel crank pin; a rock shaft,journalled on the locomotive frame, and having oppositely extendingarms; an

eccentric rod, coupling the return crank to the lower arm of said shaft;a pivoted swinging link; a supplemental eccentric rod, coupling theupper arm of said rock shaft to said link; and a radius bar; coupled tothe distribution valve stem and adjustable in said link.

2. In a locomotive, the combination of three cylinders; a crank axlerotated by the piston of the middle cylinder; a distribution valvestein, for said cylinder; a return crank; fixed on a crank pin rotatedby a driving axle in rear of the crank axle; a rock shaft; journalled onthe locomotive frame, and having oppositely extending arms; an eccentricrod; coupling the return crank to the lower arm of said shaft; a pivotedswinging link; a supplemental eccentric rod, extending above the crankarms of the crank axle; and coupling the upper arm of the rock shaft tothe top of said link; and a radius bar, coupled to the distributionvalve stem and adjustable in said link.

3. In a locomotive, the combination of three cylinders; independentstems for the distribution valves of said cylinders; a crank axle,rotated by the piston of the middle cylinder; a ret-urn crank pin, fixedon a crank pin rotated by a driving axle in rear of the crank axle; arock shaft, journalled on the locomotive frame and having oppositelyextending arms; an eccentric rod coupling the return crank to the lowerarm of said shaft; a pivoted swinging` link; a supplemental eccentricrod extending above the crank arms of the crank axle and coupling theupper arm of the rock shaft to the top of said link; a radius barcoupled to the distribution valve stem of the middle cylinder; valvegears; independently actuating the distribution valve stems of the sidecylinders; and a reversing mechanism; controlling the valve gears of allthree cylinders.

ALFRED W. BRUCE. Witnesses:

FRED A. 1WADSWORTH; CONGER MUNsoN.

